Re: [gentoo-user] package conflict on update

[Holly Bostick <motub@planet.nl>]

Trenton Adams schreef:
> On 1/5/06, Neil Bothwick <neil@digimed.co.uk> wrote:
> 
>>On Thu, 5 Jan 2006 16:32:20 -0700, Trenton Adams wrote:
>>
>>
>>>>something like
>>>>
>>>>if_blocked_by('openmotif')
>>>>        ewarn "You must unmerge openmotif before proceeding"
>>>
>>>Yes, or as follows...
>>>
>>>if_blocked_by('openmotif')
>>>  auto_unmerge('openmotif')
>>>  # continue with merge which should automatically be merging openmotif
>>>anyhow.
>>
>>Absolutely not! I don't want portage removing something I may be using at
>>the time without my saying so.
> 
> 
> Good point.  Perhaps it should ask then?
> 
> 

Well, it does, by stopping and waiting for you to perform an action and
either restart the stopped process (if the action you took was to
unmerge the blocking package), or to forego the stopped process
entirely,  if you choose not to remove the blocked package because you
want to keep it for whatever reason (it could happen).

You're assuming that unmerging the blocking package is *always* the
right solution for everyone at all times (in this case, it's not really
relevant, since motif-config will itself re-install openmotif), but the
point of Gentoo is that you are in control. If I am in control, then I
have to decide what I want done in each particular situation that
occurs, which is exactly what I have to do with the current setup-- very
obviously, since Portage will stop until I make a decision and act on
it. So fine, your new updated Portage informs me there's a block, and
says, "I could do this to solve it, shall I?" I myself am going to say
"no", because I want to know the nature of the block, and how Portage's
proposed action is going to affect the system that I have carefully
customized to my individual needs.

So I'm right in the same position as I was anyway; the emerge is stopped
(because I said, no don't go on with whatever you plan), and I'm off
reading ChangeLogs and the like to see what's going on in the
environment I'm suddenly dealing with. I suppose that it's all very nice
to have some extra dialog as if Portage was communicating with me more
"humanely", but it's just cosmetic, in actual fact.

Of course, that may be because I take time to read some of the
comprehensive documentation that so many have taken the time to write,
so I know what a Blocked Package is, so it doesn't freak me out when I
come across one. So sue me and call me names... oh wait, you had your
rant already. We'll mark that item "Done", then.

Ultimately, I'm sure such an extra dialog would be a nice thing, but I
don't so much see it as something to get all riled up about. Maybe it's
just me.

Holly


-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list